Sunday, December 29, 2013

Basics Relating To Quality Management Systems

By Marcia Marks

quality management systems or QMS can be defined as a collection of business processes aimed at meeting certain goals. QMS entails establishment of organisational structure and responsibilities, qualities manual, procedures, policies resources and many other aspects of a company or business entity. In contrast to the earlier systems which focused on predictable outcomes, current systems emphasise on group cooperation and dynamics. In addition the present century employs transparency and sustainability in the various initiatives.

To attain certification and compliance, an organisation needs to embrace a key element, specifically a QMS process. Order processing, internal audit, calibration, production planning and preventive and corrective action are some of the examples of such processes. ISO 9000, one of the most widely used tools focuses on integration, sustainability and quality. Another major system, Natural Step, focuses on documentation, systematic thinking, diagnostic discipline and transparency to minimise organisational problems.

QMS play a very vital role in ensuring that medical equipment is properly functioning. This guarantees safety and efficacy when dealing with different aspects of patient care. Each manufacturer needs to come up with their QMS that can be used to ensure that what they manufacture is properly checked and tested before being sold. The buyers of this equipment should also have their own systems that will be used to test the equipment as it is brought in. Apart from equipment testing, the other important aspect of validation is personnel training.

Before designing a QMS the business needs to understand its environment. There is need to know what is expected of the business by the clients. The main objective of the process should be to fully meet the client expectations. The benchmark is to set the standards that are required by the clientele. Whenever the consumer demands change, the business is supposed to readjust accordingly.

Unity of purpose and direction in an organisation is made possible through creative leadership. Good leadership enhances communication and understanding between the different members of an organisation. As a result, the needs of financiers, customers, suppliers and employees are all put into consideration.

The process should always be considered as a whole from beginning to end. This will ensure that there is accountability and greater responsibility both at individual and organization in the past. The efficiency of QMS implementation is also easy to asses when there is a proper process in place.

One of the most effective management approaches to use is the system approach. This approach requires proper identification and understanding of all the components of a given system. It is an approach that is associated with high levels of efficacy, consistency and effectiveness. There is continuous improvement through constant evaluation and measurement.

Quality management systems must always use facts in the decision making process. All the available data on various processes in a firm must be properly collected, analysed and interpreted. The data should be used to guide the changes in the firm.